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Thousands Could Lose Internet Access Due to DNS Changer Malware

When your computer wants to visit Techlicious.com, it looks up the numeric address for the site in a centralized directory on a Doman Name Server (DNS). Last fall, the FBI shut down a ring of hackers who were using malware, named DNS Changer, to route infected computers to rogue DNS servers that redirected users to malicious websites.

The problem was that if these rogue servers were shut down, people infected with DNS Changer would no longer be able to access sites on the web. It was decided that instead of leaving hundreds of thousands of people stranded without Internet access, clean servers would be put in place of the rogue servers to provide Internet access to infected computers. This was always meant to be a temporary measure, giving people time to remove the DNS Changer malware.

On July 9, the clean servers will be shut down. So if your computer is still infected with DNS Changer on July 9, you won’t have access to the Internet.

Either way, you’ll want to do a full back up of your important files to an external hard drive, since removal may require re-installing your operating system. You could also use a cloud backup service, but a hard drive will be much faster for re-instating your files.

Discussion

Spell check

From teri on July 06, 2012 :: 12:10 pm

Thanks for your information. I think you meant rogue DNS servers- not rouge!

Funny typo, good info.

From Anne-Marie R. Foster on July 06, 2012 :: 12:19 pm

Ok, thanks for the information on rouge servers - those must be really pretty with bright pink cheeks and all.
That was totally tongue-in-cheek - typos can be so darned funny.
This is great information, so will be sharing it, but just had to giggle as I’m prepping to put on my rogue, er rouge.
Have a great day!

rogue not rouge

Thanks

Rouge Servers? Techlicious needs some Liberal Arts majors on board.

From Cynthia on July 06, 2012 :: 11:26 pm

Seriously, twice you misspelled rogue as rouge. Rouge is a real word and not one that any spell checker would identify. A human would though. As a certified proofreader errors like this drive me up a wall.

Because rouge was used first, I thought perhaps this was some new term for servers that I had never heard of. Granted, I am no super techie, just a somewhat gifted amateur.

Seems to me Techlicious is in sore need of a proofreader! I am available for full- or part-time, or freelance work!

It’s nice that people are being so kind about the errors, but mistakes like this seriously affect a sites credibility.

Thank you for being kind

Rogue Servers

From David on July 09, 2012 :: 10:32 am

Excellent information for the less than up-to-date users - which is what your service is all about. Passed the info out to family and friends who were very grateful, particularly as some had not even heard about the threat.

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